Deal suggests GA unlikely to run health exchange

A day after President Barack Obama's re-election, Gov. Nathan Deal is suggesting he will not implement a Georgia health insurance exchange as part of the 2010 federal health care overhaul that ranks as Obama's signature legislative achievement.

Deal told the Associated Press on Wednesday that he wouldn't disclose his decision until notifying federal authorities. But he confirmed the state stopped planning an exchange once federal agencies wrote regulations that Deal says restrict Georgia's ability to design its own program.

The decision to stop, Deal says, is "probably a pretty good indication of where we are headed."

The law gives states the option to run the exchanges or default to the federal government. The exchanges would allow individuals to shop for private insurance. Deal has until Nov. 16 to decide.